Washing machine tub and spin basket



Dec. 2, 1952' H. M. DODGE 2,620,070

WASHING MACHINE TUB AND SPIN BASKET Filed May 3, 1950 s sheets-sht 1 5 I3 I Z/ Z l INVENTOR I Howard M lDodge ATTORNEYS V Dec. 2, 1952 Filed May 3, 1950 H M. DODGE WASHING MACHINE TUB AND SPIN BASKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Hawarol MDodge ATTORNEYS Dec. 2, 1952 H: M. DODGE 2,620,070

WASHING MACHINE TUB AND SPIN BASKEl T Filed May 5, 1950' s Sheets-Shet'3 INVENTOR Howard M Do g ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 2, 1952 WASHING MACHINE TUB AND SPIN BASKET Howard M. Dodge, Wabash, Ind., assignor to The General Tire and Rubber Company, Akron, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 3, 1950, Serial No. 159,747

This invention relates to washing machines of the type having a clothes receptacle in the form of a spin basket attached to the upper end of a vertical shaft through which the basket may be rapidly rotated during rinsing and drying operations to discharge water from the receptacle by centrifugal force.

' The present invention relates particularly to a water collecting tub within which the spin basket is mounted and into which the water is discharged from the spin basket.

The tub of the present invention is attached to the washing machine frame and has a bottom in the form of a flexible diaphragm which underlies the spin basket and which has a fluid tight connection to the basket support, the diaphragm being so formed that it will permit lateral move ment of the spin basket and its driving shaft in any direction so that the basket and shaft may rock laterally and has precessional movements while accelerating to extracting speed. so that unbalanced weight of clothes in the basket will not cause vibratory impulses to be transmitted to the machine framework.

The tub of the present invention has a thin walled molded rubber body which is stiffened by means of a reticulate frame to which the rubber body is bonded so that the tub has sufficient rigidity to hold its shape when loaded with water and to provide satisfactory drainage connections. The central portion of the bottom of the tub is unstiflfened and is bowed so that it will readily flex laterally in any direction to permit rocking of the spin basket.

Objects of the invention are to prevent vibration fatigue and to reduce noise of operation in washing machines of the character referred to.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central section through a washing machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary central vertical section on an enlarged scale showing the central portion of the bottom of the tub and extractor basket;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the tub;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary top plan view showing the tub mounted in the washing machine hous- 8;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line indicated at 5--5 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line indicated at 66 in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line indicated at 1-1 in Fig. 3; and

7 Claims. (Cl. 210-63) the basket and agitator.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line indicated at 8-8 in Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings the tub of the present invention is shown applied to a washing machine of the type having a clothes receptacle in the form of a spin basket and an oscillating agitator within the basket, the basket being held stationary while the agitator is oscillated during the washing operation, and the agitator and basket being rotated in unison during the rinsing and extracting operations.

The washing machine has a frame or housing provided with vertical walls i which as herein shown provide a rectangular enclosure. The clothes receptacle is in the form of a spin basket 2 and within the basket 2 there is mounted an agitator 3. The agitator 3 is attached to the upper end of a vertical shaft 4 and the spin basket 2 is attached to the upper end of a vertical tubular shaft 5 which surrounds the shaft 4.

The shafts 4 and 5 may be enclosed within a tubular standard 6 which provides a support for The basket 2 and agitator 3 are of conventional design and means (not shown) is ordinarily provided for oscillating the agitator through the shaft 4, clutching the shafts 4 and 5 together and imparting rapid ro tation thereto to spin the basket.

Because of the unbalanced weight of the spin basket when loaded with clothes it is desirable to mount the spin basket and its driving shaft for lateral rocking movements in any direction so that the spin basket may have precessional movements while being brought up to the speed necessary for the extracting operation.

The present invention comprises a tub of flex ible construction secured to and forming an enclosure for the spin basket that serves to collect water discharged from the basket. The tub has a thin-walled rubber body which is molded to provide a peripheral wall 1 and a bead 8 at its top edge which provides a gasket along the top edges of the housing walls I for engagement with a housing cover (not shown). The tub has a bottom wall 9 which has a central portion that is upwardly bowed and which has a central upright sleeve l I which provides an opening to receive the basket support. The sleeve 1 l fits upon a collar I2 mounted on the upper end of the tubular standard 6, the collar l2 being provided with a flange [3 at its lower end which provides a seat for the lower end of the sleeve II. A metal clamping band 14 may be provided to hold the sleeve H in fluid tight engagement with the .col. lar l2.

The walls I of the housing have horizontal inwardly projecting flanges l5 at their top edges and the tub has horizontally disposed top edge portions l5 which overlie the flanges [5. The bead portions 8 of the tub are shaped to fit upon the rectangular top of the housing while the peripheral wall 1 of the tub is of circular cross section. The top of the tub is reinforced by a flat circular ring I! which is of relatively stiff material such as metal or plastic and which surrounds the top of the wall I and is secured to the underside of the horizontal edge portion I'B of the tub. The ring I! rests at diametrically opposite points on the flanges [5 of the walls I substantially midway between the corners of the housing and is supported in the corner portions of the housing on diagonal crossbars I8 that are attached to the flanges I5. The tub is attached to the flanges I5 and the bars l8 by means of bolts l9 and 20 which extend through registering openings in the ring I? in the edge portions l6 of the tub body and in the flanges l5 and bars I 8.

The bottom of the tub-is stiffened by a. flat-ring 2| of relatively stiff material secured to the underside of the bottom. The ring 2| is concentric with the sleeve H and surrounds the bowed flexible portion H) of the tub bottom. An outlet opening 22 is formed in the bottom through the ring 2| and an integral tubular flange projects downwardly from the ring 2| to provide a suitable connection for a drain hose 24 which may be connected to a suitable pump for rapidly drawing the water from the tub.

The peripheral wall 1 of the tub is stiffened by circumferentially spaced substantially flat strips 25 of relatively stiff material which are connected at their upper ends to the ring Hand at their lower ends to the ring 2|.

As shown in Figs. 5 and. 6, the upper ends of the strips 25 underlie the ring I! and as shown in Fig. 8, the lower ends of the strips 25 underlie the ring 21. The rings IT and 2| and strips 25 are preferably formed of the same material and the strips 25 are joined to the rings I! and 2| by suitable means such as by welding, forming with the rings l1 and U a reticulate stiffening frame which gives the tub sufficient rigidity to hold its shape when filled with water.

The rubber body of the tub is preferably bonded to the stiffening frame and the bonding may be effected by molding the tub body and vul- 'canizing the same to the stiffening frame, or by cementing the tub body to the stiffening frame subsequent to\vulcanization.

In order to provide a fluid tight drainage connection the body of the tub is preferably molded to providean integral sleeve 26 within the flange 23 of the stiffening ring as shown in Fig. 7.

During operation of the machine the stiffened portion of. the tub is held stationary by its connection to the walls I of the housing, while the bowed diaphragm portion E0 of the bottom provides a flexible fluid tight connection to the spin basket, permitting the basket and its support to rock laterally in any direction and have precessional movements until brought up to a speed suflicient to maintain the basket in substantially upright position.

The flexible construction of the tub provides vibration dampening means between the driven washing machine parts and the supporting frame, which reduces vibrations in the tub and frame and provides a more silent operation. The flexible diaphragm provides the tub with a fluid tight bottom while at the same time permitting rocking movements of the basket in its support without transmitting vibratory impulses to the machine frame.

It is to be understood that in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim'is:

1. In a washing machine having a laterally rockable upright shaft, a spin basket attached to the shaft at its upper end and a tubular member enclosing said shaft beneath said basket and movable laterally therewith, the combination therewith of a molded rubber tub having a substantially upright and stationary wall surrounding and spaced from said basket and a bottom wall integral with the upright wall and below said basket, said bottom wall having an upwardly bowed central portion provided with a sleeve portion fitting on said tubular member, said bowed portion of the bottom being flexible to permit lateral rocking movements of said shaft, and a stiffening frame conforming to the upright wall of the tub and to the bottom of the tub outwardly of said bowed portion, said stiffening frame engaging the exterior of said rubber tub.

2. In a washing machine having a laterally rockable upright shaft, a spin basket attached to the shaft at its upper end and a tubular member enclosing said shaft beneath said basket and movable laterally therewith, the combination therewith of a molded rubber tub having a substantially upright and stationary wall surrounding and spaced from said basket and a bottom wall integral with the upright wall and below said basket, said bottom wall having an upwardly bowed central portion provided withv a sleeve portion fitting on said tubular member, said bowed portion of the bottom being flexible to permit lateral rocking movements of said shaft, a reticulate stiffening frame conforming to and secured to the exterior of the upright wall of the tub and to the bottom wall outwardly of said bowed portion, and a drain outlet in the bottom outwardly of said upwardly bowed portion.

3. In a washing machine having an open top housing, a laterally rockable upright shaft within the housing centrally thereof, a spin basket attached to the shaft at its upper end and a tubular member enclosing the shaft beneath the basket and movable laterally therewith, the com bination therewith of a molded rubber tub having a beaded top edge secured to the top edge of said housing, said tub having a substantially upright wall surrounding said basket and a bottom wall integral with the upright wall and beneath the basket, said bottom wall having a central integral sleeve portion in which said tubular member fits and being bowed upwardly around said sleeve portion, said bowed portion being laterally flexible in any direction to permit lateral rocking movements of said shaft.

4. In a washing machine having an open top housing, a laterally rockable uprightshaft within the housing centrally thereof, a spin basket attached to the shaft at its upper end and a tubular member enclosing the shaft beneath the basket and movable laterally therewith, the combination therewith of a molded rubber tub having a beaded top edge secured to the top edge of said housing, said tub having a substantially upright wall surrounding said basket and a bottom wall integral with the upright wall and beneath the basket, said bottom wall having a central integral sleeve portion in which said tubular member nts and being bowed upwardly around said sleeve portion, said bowed portion being laterally flexible in any direction to permit lateral rocking movements of said shaft, and a reticulate stiffening frame conforming to the exterior of the upright wall of the tub and to the bottom of the tub outwardly of said bowed portion.

5. In a washing machine having an open top housing, a laterally rockable upright shaft within the housing centrally thereof, a spin basket attached to the shaft at its upper end and a tubular member enclosing the shaft beneath the basket and movable laterally therewith, the combination therewith of a molded rubber tub having a beaded top edge secured tothe top edge of said housing, said tub having a substantially upright wall surrounding said basket and a bottom wall integral with the upright wall and beneath the basket, said bottom wall having a central integral sleeve portion in which said tubular member fits and being bowed upwardly around said sleeve portion, said bowed portion being laterally flexible in any direction to permit lateral rocking movements of said shaft, a stiffening ring surrounding said bowed portion and secured to the bottom of the tub outwardly of said bowed portion, a stiffening ring secured to the tub adjacent its top edge, and circumferentially spaced connecting members conforming to the exterior of the tub and joined at their ends to said rings.

6. A washing machine tubcomprising a body of relatively thin and flexible rubber molded to provide a peripheral wall and a bottom wall integral with the peripheral wall, said bottom wall having a central opening and an integral sleeve portion around said opening, a stiffening frame comprising a, ring of relatively stiff material secured exteriorly to said body adjacent the top edge of said peripheral wall, a ring of relatively stiff material secured tosaid bottom wall concentrically with said sleeve, the latter ring being spaced radially outwardly from said sleeve to provide the bottom of the tub with a flexible central portion, and strips of relatively stiff material connecting said rings and conforming to the exterior of said body.

'7. A washing machine tub comprising a body of relatively thin and flexible rubber molded to provide a. peripheral wall and a bottom wall integral with the peripheral wall, said bottom wall having a central opening and an integral sleeve portion around said opening, a Stiifening frame comprising a ring of relatively stiff material secured exteriorly to said body adjacent the top edge of said peripheral wall, a ring of relatively stiff material secured to said bottom wall concentrically with said sleeve, the latter ring being substantially flat and spaced radially outwardly from said sleeve to provide the bottom with a flexible central portion, said tub having an outlet through said bottom ring, and strips of relatively stiff material connecting said rings and conforming to the exterior of said body.

HOWARD M. DODGE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,335,560 Crane Nov. 130, 1943 2,432,271 Barifii Dec. 9, 1947 2,449,634 Baade Sept. 21, 1948 

